Vote: How will Obamacare work out?

The Seattle Times’ Carol M. Ostrom has a story today about what the Affordable Care Act will cost for Washingtonians. Yes, Obamacare is on the way, despite the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voting 40 times to repeal it. Paul Krugman has written that the program is “the right’s worst nightmare” because it will work. Over at National Review, Veronique de Rugy predicts that premiums will skyrocket — even though members of Congress and federal employees will be sheltered. Norm Ornstein, a distinguished man of the right, has denounced the “unprecedented — and contemptible — attempts to sabotage Obamacare.”

I’ve never been a fan. Obamacare is a massive profit-machine for the private insurance industry; that was the price of support to get it through, and cover pre-existing conditions. The president never considered a public option, much less Medicare for all. Whether it will be a job killer, or have unintended bad consequences remains to be seen. Here’s a factual look at where things stand now. The status quo is unsustainable. Little vouchers to shop for health care are a joke. So what happens next?

Washington’s inflation-adjusted gross domestic product grew 2.3 percent in the second quarter, the fifth strongest showing among the states. The new report comes today from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis. The rate is down from a blistering 4.8 percent in the same period last year (the first quarter’s 11.5 percent was likely a statistical […]

The future for the existing world trade system and America’s place in it is facing one of its biggest challenges in history if President-elect Trump fulfills his campaign pledges. Washington state would be a big loser.